Championship club Sheffield Eagles have confirmed the departure of Bayley Liu ahead of their first pre-season clash. The Eagles are due to take on Castleford Tigers in a friendly on a Friday night and they will be without Liu, who has left the club by mutual consent.
Liu has spent the last three years with the Eagles, having joined from Dewsbury Rams ahead of the 2022 season. The back-rower has made 58 appearances in that time, with 20 tries coming along the way, including seven last season as Sheffield just missed out on a play-off spot.
A Scotland international, Liu would have been expected to have played a key role to play under Craig Lingard this season, but he has now left the club, with the Eagles confirming the news with a succinct but warm message.
“Back rower Bayley Liu has departed the Sheffield Eagles by mutual consent,” the statement on the Championship club’s website read.
“We’d like to thank Bayley for all he has done for Sheffield Eagles over the last three years since he joined us back in 2022, and we wish him the best with his future endeavours.”
The Eagles will play two friendly games this month as they ready themselves for the start of the Championship season with Friday’s clash at Featherstone Rovers’ Millennium Stadium being played in honour of Quentin Laulu Togaga’e. The game will be a testimonial for the 40-year-old but it will also be Lingard’s first chance to see his squad in action.
Lingard took the head coach reins over the off-season after being dismissed by the Tigers, taking over from Mark Aston, who is currently serving a suspension from all coaching activity.
The Eagles will then face off against Championship rivals Doncaster next weekend at the Eco-Power Stadium before their round two Challenge Cup clash.
